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US woman swept away by 'sneaker' wave

A woman has been swept out to sea by a large wave and drowned on a California beach in the third such tragedy in the region this winter, authorities say.

The 32-year-old was walking with her boyfriend and dog on Sunday when the wave pulled her out to sea, the US Coast Guard said.

"The ocean today was extremely hazardous," Duty Officer Cheryl Antony said. "The waves were about 10 to 15 feet (3.0 to 4.5 metres). It was very, very hazardous for them to be out there."

So-called "sneaker" waves, the kind that suddenly roar ashore, have washed four people into the region's waters this winter.

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A man and his wife were walking on a California beach on New Year's Day when a wave overtook their dog. The couple went into the water to rescue the dog, and the man was swept away.

In November, three family members drowned at another California beach while trying to save their dog.

"Winter is an especially dangerous time, and sneaker waves can catch beach goers by surprise, washing them into the sea," the Coast Guard said in a statement. "People walking along the beach should not turn their back to the ocean."